C63 AMG takes this Benz to a new level

RON MOORHEAD, Special Sections correspondent Staff

Published: March 22, 2008

Updated: May 31, 2013 at 06:09 PM

Auto manufacturers, like all of us, tend to make decisions to test the waters, then sometimes realize they made a huge mistake and hustle into reverse. Other decisions result in a strong positive outcome.
For Mercedes-Benz, the decision to market vehicles with parts from its performance-brand AMG spurred a positive reaction from most customers.
To owners and envious non-owners, a Mercedes-Benz with the AMG badge means superior performance in all aspects. No matter which Mercedes-Benz model it is attached to, everyone knows the vehicle could accelerate, handle and stop with the highest of standards.
Signaling this move to make an AMG vehicle all about performance, Mercedes-Benz has introduced the C63 AMG brand that is just the preemptive strike.

The C-class sedan is considered the entry-level sedan for Mercedes-Benz; however, the C63 AMG is anything but an entry-level vehicle. Powered by the newest version AMG V-8 engine and equipped with bodacious brakes, incredible handling and fabulous interior features, the C63 AMG is a wondrous package. With that, the AMG folks also attached a reasonable base price of $54,625, which includes the destination charge. This automobile will be a force to reckon with in the performance-sedan category.
AMG's "one-man, one-engine" philosophy of engine building is never more evident than with the C63 AMG. Each engine is hand-built by a technician who ensures the highest level of perfection with his or her signature atop a plate attached to the engine. The 6.2-liter V-8 engine produces a neck-snapping 451-horsepower and 443 pounds-feet of torque. This is helped by the relatively light curb weight of this sedan.
AMG, knowledgeable of the kind of fun drivers may have during a drive, have installed incredibly supportive front sport bucket seats in the C63 AMG. Large side bolsters on both cushion and seatbacks are adjustable, so that no matter your girth, you can find a supportive position.
I put the C63 AMG though its paces on both the roadways and a racetrack. In both situations, the car shined. A car that carries only 7.9 pounds per horsepower is just flat-out fun. However, it is the sum of its parts that makes the C63 AMG a fascinating automobile. Couple this with a base price and you have a Mercedes-Benz that lights up the senses while providing the luxury expected from the German company.

Ron Moorhead, a nationally syndicated automotive columnist, can be reached at [email protected].com.

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